Team Lead role — does this count as work experience for FSWP?

[Teddy_Shmosby]

Hey everyone! Hoping someone's run into this before.


I have C2 in french and english with a masters in civil eng. I'm looking to apply for express entry.

I don't have any work experience in civil engineering as I chose a different work path.

I've got a shot at a Team Lead promotion at the company I already work for, but there's a catch, I'm on a freelance/contractor platform, not a direct employee. So even as TL I'd still technically be self-employed. Weekly pay, working 40 hours a week under a freelance contract on a scheduled shift


The actual work is real supervisory stuff though, managing a team, KPIs, coaching, escalations, performance plans, some hiring input. Just the contract itself is freelance, not employment.


From what I've read, self-employment counts for FSWP if it's foreign experience and properly documented. Is that actually how it plays out in practice? Has anyone here actually gone through this, or watched someone else pull it off?


Trying to decide whether to push for this promotion or accept an offer for civil engineering work. The TL role pays 10x more so the choice is rather hard here

 

[Ash G.]

Not a consultant, just from what I've seen. Self-employment does count for FSWP foreign experience as long as you can properly document it. The key things IRCC looks for are proof that the work was real, continuous, and at least 30 hours per week in a skilled NOC.

For your situation the challenge is proving it. You'd need documentation showing your role, duties, hours, and payment. Since you're on a freelance platform, get whatever contracts, invoices, and payment records you can. A letter from the company confirming your team lead responsibilities would also help. The fact that it's supervisory work (managing a team, KPIs, coaching) puts it in a skilled NOC category which is good.

With C2 French and English plus a masters in civil engineering, your CRS should be very competitive regardless of which role you go with. Run the numbers on the CRS calculator with both scenarios before deciding.